This invention relates generally to agricultural crop harvesters. It relates particularly to agricultural combines and, more specifically, to an improved grain handling, storage and unloading system for a combine.
A crop harvesting combine conventionally has a header assembly which cuts the crop and carries the cut crop to a feeder assembly. The feeder assembly, in turn, conveys the cut crop to a threshing assembly. In the case of a rotary threshing machine, the rotor assembly threshes grain, for example, from crop stalks and the grain, together with straw and chaff, falls through perforations in a cylindrical shroud which forms the outer shell of the threshing assembly.
The grain from the rotary threshing assembly falls onto a sieve assembly which oscillates, causing grain to fall through it while, at the same time, air under pressure is directed through the sieve assembly to blow straw and chaff out the rear of the combine. The clean grain which falls through the sieve assembly is collected on a grain pan and flows on the grain pan to a grain elevator.
The grain elevator conveys clean grain upwardly into a grain tank in the combine body; usually above the threshing assembly. This is normally accomplished with an elevator including a combination of horizontal and vertical auger or paddle conveyors which are arranged in conduits and continuously collect grain from the grain pan. The conveyors discharge the grain into the grain tank.
A recent innovation in grain harvesting, which has increased overall efficiency, involves the use of separate grain carts or modules. The grain carts or modules presently known are simply trailers containing large grain bins for storing the harvested grain. The use of such grain carts or modules permits the combine to continue harvesting when an onboard storage bin becomes filled with grain but a truck or wagon is unavailable for unloading the grain. The cart or module provides an interim storage location into which the combine can unload grain when its onboard bin becomes full.
A conventional grain module is simply towed behind the combine and filled with grain from overhead by the standard grain unloading conduit associated with the combine. The grain module, in turn, normally has a grain unloading conduit similar to that of the combine associated with it.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved grain handling, storage and unloading system for an agricultural combine.
Another object is to provide a system of the aforedescribed character which incorporates an improved grain handling module.
Still another object is to provide an improved agriculture combine including a high capacity grain storage system.
A further object is to provide an articulated agricultural combine wherein the rear articulated section comprises a high capacity grain handling, storage and unloading module.
The foregoing and other objects are realized in different embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment, a multipurpose and high capacity grain handling module is attached to a conventional combine. The module accepts grain flow from the combine and distributes the grain to the proper location in its grain bin. Periodically the module is used to move the grain to another transport vehicle. In this one embodiment, the module includes a continuous loop elevator which encircles the module bin. The continuous loop elevator receives grain from combine bin storage and elevates it for discharge into the module bin.
In another embodiment of the invention, the combine comprises articulated front and rear sections, with the rear section being a grain handling module incorporating features of the aforedescribed first embodiment. In one variation, the rear section comprises a module with a continuous loop elevator which encircles the module bin from front-to-back. In another variation, the elevator forms a continuous loop on the front end of the bin.